The Vikings have forced 13 turnovers and 20 sacks this season.
Vikings star safety Cam Bynum didn’t want the bye week to come. In an appearance on FanDuel TV’s Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams on Friday, Bynum admitted that having to take a week off in the midst of a 5-0 start was “killing our momentum,” a sentiment he said was shared by his teammates.
The Vikings have vaulted themselves into the contender conversation with their undefeated start. Minnesota’s defense has been suffocating and opportunistic, allowing the fourth-fewest points (76) in the league while forcing the second-most turnovers (13) and sacks (20) so far this season. Bynum credits the “versatility” of the defensive players as the biggest reason for the squad’s success this season
“You never know who is going to be doing what in our defense,” Bynum said. “Really, every single piece on our defense is versatile. So, really going against us, it’s hard to pinpoint who is playing what. Everybody has the ability to drop in the pass Everybody has the ability to cover or pass us, and I think that makes it tough on defenses. … It just goes to all the players knowing what to do. How to do it and having that humility to play multiple positions, even if it’s not the thing that they do.”
Bynum remarked that in Brian Flores’ defense “you’re called to do everything.” While that certainly asks the players to do some heavy lifting mentally, it hasn’t taken away from the fun side of the game for the team.
Bynum and fellow safety Josh Metellus went viral this past weekend after they broke out a celebration from the movie, “The Parent Trap.” Bynum surprised Adams when he said the celebrations are what he’s most proud of so far this season.
“The more celebrations we have, means the more plays we’re making and that means the more wins we’re having,” Bynum said. “We’re having fun and we’re balling.”
Compounding the desire to keep playing, instead of having a bye week, is the fact that the Vikings’ first test out of the bye is against division foe and preseason NFC favorite, the Detroit Lions. The reigning NFC North champs are 3-1 heading into a big showdown with the Dallas Cowboys this weekend before their Week 7 tilt with the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Bynum called the Lions a “complete team” when asked about the matchup.
“Similar to what I said about us, you look at every spot on the roster and they have a guy there. Starting from quarterback, good receivers, really good O-line, running backs are really good and then on the defense, same thing starting with the pass rush. I think they have a complete team,” Bynum said. “It’s a division game so we already know this is going to be a turned up game and, really, a game that we know is going to be a dog fight, no matter what.
“Even back in the day, before they really rebuilt their team and turned it around, no matter what, it was always a tough game going against Detroit. Just the fact that we know each other so well and now that they’re a complete team and have a dog mindset going around there. I think it’s going to be a battle, I know it’s going to be a battle. These are the games that you look forward to as a competitor, knowing that it’s a really good team coming in.”
Minnesota will square off against the Lions in a big NFC North clash that already looks like it could be a preview of the NFC Championship Game on Oct. 20, with kickoff set for 12 p.m.
“We know it’s going to be a tough game,” Bynum said. “But like (Flores) says, ‘It’s going to be a four-quarter battle, and it’s going to come down to the last second.'”